A recent breakthrough in the field of quantum physics and entanglement has scientists abuzz about its potential impact on quantum computing and secure communications.
Indeed, researchers have discovered a new way to observe and control quantum entanglement – an odd phenomenon where particles become so deeply linked that the state of one instantly affects the state of another, regardless of the distance, per a report published by phys.org on March 26.
Specifically, according to the study cited in the report and published earlier in Physical Review Letters, quantum computers can now ‘look at’ their own entanglement (this entanglement being the reason why they’re so powerful in the first place), making it easier to understand and improve their performance.
Analyzing quantum entanglement
As it happens, one of the biggest obstacles to using quantum entanglement for technology so far has lied in maintaining the delicate link between particles, as small disturbances can break this connection (which is called decoherence).
By deploying a novel algorithm, the research team from Tohoku University and St. Paul’s School in London has allowed quantum computers to analyze and protect quantum entanglement, keeping it stable under conditions they originally thought too challenging.
Commenting on these results, Le Bin Ho, an assistant professor at the Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences and Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University, and lead author of the study, explained:
“Quantum computers are built upon entanglement and now they themselves can also be used to study and understand entanglement.”
To achieve this, the team introduced a method called variational entanglement witness (VEW), using a quantum algorithm that optimizes entanglement detection. As opposed to older methods, the VEW boosts detection accuracy, allowing it to better differentiate between separable (not entangled) and entangled states.
The study also proposed a nonlocal measurement framework without collapsing the quantum wave function (which traditional detection methods were guilty of).
According to Le:
“Our method provides a reliable way to detect and protect entanglement, which is essential for applications such as quantum computing, communication, and cryptography. (…) While adaptive machine learning-based methods for entanglement detection are gaining popularity, this is the first quantum algorithm that both detects and preserves entanglement.”
Elsewhere, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new interconnect device that allows every processor within a quantum network to communicate directly, paving the way for scalable, all-to-all communication between superconducting quantum processors.
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